Gold has been a practical and symbolic store of value for human beings since prehistoric times. Modern chemistry arose from alchemy, a discipline which attempted to find a way to make gold from common substances. Many cultures throughout history have used gold as backing for their currency because of its enduring value. Even in the days of fiat currencies, the ubiquity of gold in electronics, dentistry, jewelry, the arts, medicine, and even food and beverages keep the demand for gold strong. Important cities and cultural centers have begun because of prospectors flocking to the area to seek the precious metal. Modern day mining operations use large and complex automated systems to extract gold from the earth but there are many locations with gold deposits in which large-scale industrial mining operations are commercially unviable. Ultra-fine gold, in particular, is a relatively untapped resource which is best captured by individuals and small teams with the right tools.
Therefore it is the object of the present invention to disclose a mechanism and method for use in a sluice box whereby ultra-fine gold and other dense metals can be more effectively captured than is possible with current methods. The present invention is a sluice plate with spiral pockets that is used to extract heavy metal particles from a processing mixture. Furthermore, the present invention allows for the stratification of the heavy metal particles due to the creation of pressure differentials about a plurality of spiral pockets. Each of the plurality of spiral pockets is tapered downwards and has a spiraling inner lip, which facilitates the separation of the heavy metal particles by density.